Source: ECLAC on the basis of United Nations Children's Fund - UNICEF.

Source: ECLAC on the basis of United Nations, MDG Indicators Database.

In September 2000, the largest-ever gathering of world leaders ushered in the new millennium by adopting the Millennium Declaration. The Declaration, endorsed by 189 countries, was then translated into a roadmap setting out goals to be reached by 2015.

The eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) build on agreements made at United Nations conferences in the 1990s and represent commitments by all countries to reduce poverty and hunger, and to tackle ill-health, gender inequality, lack of education, lack of access to clean water and environmental degradation.

ECLAC as part of the United Nations System contributes to monitoring the countries progress towards the fulfillment of the MDGs.